Brief Reunion
by chawk1993
Summary: *One-Shot* Five years after the Simian Flu begins plaguing the world, Will Rodman ventures into the Apes' territory and reunites with Caesar. What he discovers will bring hope to the Apes. *Set between 'Rise' and 'Dawn'*


**A/N: **_Hey everybody. I haven't posted anything on for ages and I thought I would post this up. I actually wrote this ages ago when it was revealed that Caesar would have two young sons in Dawn. We know from Dawn that Blue Eyes (previously known as River during the filming of the movie) had no idea his father was raised by humans and that he only finds this out when Malcolm takes him the Rodman house and sees the photo of a young Caesar with Will after Caesar has been shot by Koba. I wrote this mainly as a 'What If?' story. What if a few years after the rebellion, Will and Caesar reunite? What if Will wasn't an early causality of the Simian Flu? What if Will gets to meet Blue Eyes for the first and only time when he's a baby and is too young to remember? I remember reading in an article with Dylan Clark, the producer of Rise and Dawn that Will and Caroline were never suppose to survive the end of Rise and that Will's death most importantly was punishment for creating what becomes the Simian Flu. So without further ado, I give you Brief Reunion._

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**Brief Reunion**

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Life had become a living hell. The ALZ-113 had spread to humanity and people were dropping dead after a week of being infected. It was now 2021. Five years after the virus had been spread. Five years after Caesar's rebellion.

Will was broken. He had lost everything. Caroline had been one of the first infected. She had died four years earlier. He had often seen apes wandering around in the trees. He even wondered if any one of them was Caesar. His fear of losing both his father and Caesar had terrified him. After his father had died, the only thing that he had left to live for, other than Caroline was Caesar but that was not to be. Caesar had deserved better. Will had blamed himself for Caesar's rebellion and everything that had triggered it.

Now, he had a chance to redeem his adoptive son.

Will had received a message on Caesar's behalf to meet up with him. The message had come in the form of a written message, stuck in the one place Will always looked, inside a hollowed out log outside his new living quarters.

The note had been written on a scrap of bark had read in Caesar's big bulking handwriting:

_Will,_

_Have news to share with you. Meet at clearing in woods tomorrow._

_Caesar_

It had been a surprise to Will when he had received this note. He had never dreamed that Caesar would want to make contact with him again. It filled him with joy to see his son again. Part of him was telling him that this was a bad idea but yet he ignored the nagging sensation.

Walking through the Muir Woods Park, dressed in protective gear, Will looked around to see the beginnings of what appeared to be an ape village. Large logs had been sharpened at one end to form the beginnings of a heavy duty fence. He continued to walk through the park until he came to a stop at the place Caesar's letter had said to meet.

The clearing in which Will had stopped was the same place he had been to countless times before while Caesar was growing up. This had also been the same place in which he had said his final farewells to Caesar. Looking around, the place didn't look all that different except for the overhead sharpened logs that acted as more defensive barriers.

It didn't take long for Will to become paranoid that someone was watching him. Suddenly, a large figure dropped out of the trees, dropping into a crouch before rising on two legs.

It was a large chimpanzee, much bigger then Caesar had been. It had bald patches in various places all over its body.

Flashing back to the Battle on the Golden Gate Bridge, Will recognised this chimp as one of Caesar's top commanders. He had seen the chimp at the San Bruno Primate Shelter too. He remembered seeing the chimp's name its cage door. ROCKET.

Rocket approached Will cautiously. He dropped to all fours.

Will froze as Rocket sniffed at him.

Rocket rose to his feet again and was on the verge of attacking Will when a voice sounded from the trees.

"Rocket. Play nice."

Will looked up into the canopy. The voice sounded female. He spun around when the leaves rustled behind him. A second chimp dropped down from the branches. This one appeared to be female. She was wearing what appeared to be a crown or some type of headgear. Will knew that Caesar could speak but did this mean that he had taught other apes to speak too?

The female ape also looked familiar. She had resided a few cages down from Caesar. Will didn't recall her name but he remembered during his visits to San Bruno to visit Caesar that Caesar had snuck a few glances at her hinting at a romantic bond. This wasn't something he had thought to raise with Caesar at the time but as to why this chimp along with Rocket would be here was beyond Will's comprehension.

There was a third rustling and an orange blur dropped out of the trees. The figure righted itself to reveal the face of an Orangutan.

Will knew this Orangutan. It was the same one that had been in the cage across from Caesar in San Bruno. Caesar had mentioned during one of their many signed conversations that the Orangutan's name was Maurice.

Maurice looked at Will with interest. He knew who Will was and why he was standing there. He looked over at the female chimp who was giving him a questioning look. Maurice simply shook his head. The female slumped her shoulders for a moment before straightening up again, her eyes returning to Will.

It was a minute before there was a fourth rustle. Will looked up, frowning. A blur of brown dropped out of the tree and straightened. The first thing Will saw was the shooting star birthmark. This was him.

The chimp straightened up. His jade-green eyes looked down at the bundle in his arms.

Will hadn't noticed the bundle in Caesar's arms. He watched as Caesar approached the female who held out her arms for the bundle. The bundle moved. Will nearly jumped out his skin. He noticed the bundle's little outstretched arms and legs kicking out, not wanting to be parted from Caesar. The female took the infant, holding it close.

Caesar tickled the infant's belly, causing it to squirm and coo with delight. Caesar beamed down at the child and found himself almost unable to look away. He forced himself to look away, finding the eyes of Will staring at him in astonishment. Without a second thought, Caesar hurtled towards him before giving him the biggest hug he had ever given him.

"Caesar." Will said as he gave Caesar a tight hug.

"Will." Caesar spoke, his voice as deep as the first time he had spoken to Will.

Father and son pulled out of their hug, holding each other at arm's length.

Will was the first to speak. "It has been a long time."

Caesar nodded.

Behind him, the infant started to cry. Caesar turned to see his wife struggling to sooth the child.

"Cornelia." Caesar said gently.

Cornelia walked towards her husband, holding their child to her shoulder. Stopping next to Caesar, she slid the child back into his arms. The child immediately stopped it cries.

Will regarded the child, his throat started to clog. Not from fear but from curiosity.

"Who's this little one?"

Caesar looked up, a small smile forming on his face. "My son." he said proudly.

"Your son," Will said softly. He then turned to Cornelia. "Who's this?

"My wife, Cornelia." Caesar smiled.

"Welcome to the family, Cornelia," Will said. Cornelia smiled before reaching forward and patting Will on the shoulder. "I take it that was you that stopped Rocket hurting me?"

"Yes." Cornelia answered, her voice was gentle yet it was heavy from the lack of use.

Rocket hissed from where he was perched.

Caesar let out his own snarl to warn him to shut it.

"You never told me your son's name." Will said gently.

Caesar looked back down at his son who was looking up curiously at Will. "Blue Eyes. His name is Blue Eyes."

"Blue Eyes," Will murmured to himself. "I like it. It's different. It reminds me of your mother's name."

Caesar looked at him. "Hold him?" he asked, catching Will off guard.

"Really? You'd let me?" Caesar nodded. Will positioned his arms as Caesar placed Blue Eyes in his arms.

"Hi little guy, I'm your, well, I suppose I'm your grandpa."

Cornelia stiffened as Will looked down at her child. As a mother, she had formed a strong bond with her son, as had Caesar but if her husband trusted this human with their son then so did she.

A long moment passed in silence. Rocket eventually re-joined them upon seeing that Will wasn't a threat to them.

Blue Eyes enjoyed the attention he was getting from Will. He also seemed to know that his parents were nearby. He cooed and waved his little arms and legs around in delight.

At last, Will looked up at Caesar.

Cornelia looked up too, glad that her child was okay.

Maurice and Rocket, though still on guard seemed to be more relaxed.

"I see him in you." Will said, a smile forming under his mask.

Caesar flashed his father a smile. _"You do?" _he signed.

Will nodded. "Yes. I see that one day he will grow up and be a great leader."

Blue Eyes cooed gleefully prompting Will to look down at him.

"I think he likes me."

Caesar nodded. "Yes, he does. He knows good from bad."

"He's going to have high intelligence. He'll speak in time too."

Cornelia watched as Will continued to rock her son. The child seemed to be at ease and liked being the centre of attention. He was like his father. She looked at how happy Caesar was to be back in his adoptive father's company.

After they'd married, Cornelia had sat for hours, just listening to Caesar's stories of his childhood growing up in a loving human family. She had listened as he told her about his adoptive grandfather Charles and just how close they had been. Will was mentioned in pretty much every story told and Caroline, Caesar's adoptive mother was also mentioned from time to time. Cornelia could tell that Caesar's life had been good until he had gone to the Ape Shelter. She had watched him as he had gone from homesick to leader. She had fallen in love with vulnerable side of him. She made him feel stronger. She was his constant support. His Queen. His beloved wife. The mother of his son.

The apes and Will sat on the forest floor as they spoke. Will felt at ease with them. He instantly loved his new grandson and wondered what Caroline and Charles would have thought of him. Charles would have loved his great-grandson instantly, like he had loved Caesar. Caroline wouldn't have been able to keep her eyes off Blue Eyes for a moment and would have commented that the young prince was too much like his father.

Will fought to keep the tears that were forming away. Caesar noticed this and offered his father a sad smile.

"_I miss them too." _the ape king signed.

Will didn't have to ask as to whom he was referring. How did he know about Caroline's death? Knowing Caesar like he did, he knew he didn't have to ask. He hadn't even told Caesar about Charles' death but it was as if he had already known. Will hadn't asked questions. Caesar was far from stupid. He could tell when something wasn't right even without words being spoken or signed to him.

There was a sudden sadness in the air. Will and Caesar looked away from each other. The idea of losing both Charles and Caroline was too much for them. Charles had been one thing but Caroline had been an unexpected loss. She had always been Will's voice of reason, like Cornelia was Caesar's. Sure, Caesar had Maurice, Rocket and Koba but losing his adoptive mother was hard. He had loved her dearly, as had Will.

Blue Eyes squirmed in Will's arms. He yawned before snuggling against Will's chest.

"I think someone's tired." Will said quietly.

Caesar watched his son for a moment. He seemed so at home with Will. There was a part of the new father that wanted Will to take the infant with him, to show the young prince to the world but there was that part of Caesar that told him that it wasn't a good idea.

There were hunters that were always trying to catch one of the apes in order to create an antidote for the virus that had already claimed so many lives.

While Caesar didn't want the human race dying out, he didn't want his apes captured either. He wanted them safe. He felt responsible for every single one of them. He didn't want Blue Eyes or Cornelia to become targets. It was a difficult decision but his apes came first. He had caused the rebellion for a reason.

"Caesar?"

Caesar looked over at Cornelia who was watching him closely. Giving her a small smile, he turned back to Will and Blue Eyes who was now lightly snoring.

Will passed Blue Eyes back to Caesar. Fortunately, the little prince didn't wake.

Nearby, Rocket and Maurice remained on watch.

Will looked around, unable to look at Caesar. He knew their time together was coming to an end. Desperately, he struggled to find something to say.

"I've missed you."

Caesar looked at him, sadness crossing his face. He had missed Will too and he knew what he was going to say next.

"Missed you too." He said his voice still deep. "No come home."

Will knew that Caesar had made his choice all those years ago. He nodded slowly. "I understand." Taking another look at his sleeping grandson, Will decided to make a moment out of his new status. "I never thought at my age I'd be a grandfather."

Caesar smiled before returning his gaze to look at his still sleeping son. "He love you."

Will pursed his lips. "And I love him. I wish I'd be around to see him grow up."

Caesar gave him another sad look. He wished that too. If he and Cornelia ever had another child after Blue Eyes then he would greatly consider naming the child after his adoptive father but Cornelia would have to agree to it.

Knowing their time together was up, Caesar slid Blue Eyes into Cornelia's arms before giving Will one final hug.

"Be strong." Caesar whispered in his ear.

Will pulled out of the hug to look at him, questioningly but didn't ask what he meant. Nodding, he turned to Cornelia.

"Look after my grandson."

The Queen of the Apes nodded. "Nice meeting you Will."

"You too. Take care of him, won't you?"

Cornelia looked over at Caesar who was on alert. She turned back to Will. "I will."

Maurice and Rocket rose from their positions. Will nodded to each of them without saying a word. They returned the gesture.

"Go and please," Will paused as the apes looked at him. "Be careful." Before watching them go, Will said goodbye to his grandson who was now wide-awake in his mother's arms.

"Bye Blue Eyes, grandpa loves you." Looking up at Cornelia, Will gave her a pat on the shoulder.

Backing up, Will watched as the apes took to the trees as they had done all those years ago, this time with a little bit more hope then they had before.

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_Thanks for reading guys. I loved the movie so much. I loved it more then I loved Rise I reckon. Please Review. I would love to hear your thoughts on this._


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